01 Jun 2022

 Botswana looks to academic  research as a future enabler of economic growth and sustainable development, says  President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Speaking during a panel discussion hosted by three Swedish institutions  in Stockholm yesterday,  he said research and innovation were the key components of Botswana’s journey towards a knowledge-based economy.

“My government has embarked on an economic transformation path that is founded on a knowledge-based economy.

This path seeks to utilise knowledge derived from extensive research and development and leverage on digital technology to accelerate growth to a high income economy,” he said.

Dr Masisi said it was anticipated that the path would stimulate economic development and lead to sustainable improved livelihoods adding that the role of research centres and academia was key.

"Botswana's economy will be diversified and stimulate sustainable and inclusive growth. In all this transformation, the key tenet will be the use of research and innovation centres, innovation hubs and digital innovation strategies," he said, and added the role of academia would be the most important constant in the transformation.

Botswana, he said,  had achieved economic and social growth through investment in mining and livestock production technologies but needed to diversify its economic base, which necessitated transformation.

He noted that the three institutions hosting the event, Stockholm University, Karolinska Institute and the Royal Institute of Technology had since the 1800s contributed extensively to developments in medicine, industrial technology and digital innovation.

Through quality education, they continued to produce about 30 per cent of Sweden's academic research output, said Dr Masisi.

“We can all agree that academia has been at the forefront of all facets of development in the world. From the time of the development of the pacemaker to the current era of medical drones, Sweden advanced to one of the most technology research-driven countries,” Dr Masisi said.

The President said the institutions were a good benchmark for Botswana on how academia could impact society on a broader scale.

Government, he said, would continue to work with universities at home and abroad.

The theme for the discussion was Sustainable Planet, Sustainable Health- How Science Based Solutions Can Drive Transformative Change.

The President also visited the Ericsson AB lab at Kista Science City where in addition to discussing 5G and the importance of a digitalised society, he also explored areas of cooperation in pursuit of one of the RESET Agenda priority areas, digitisation. ends